hefty

adjective

ˈhef-tē How to pronounce hefty (audio)
heftier; heftiest
Synonyms of hefty
1
: quite heavy
a hefty book
2
a
: marked by bigness, bulk, and usually strength
a hefty football player
b
: powerful, mighty
gave the door a hefty shove
c
: impressively large : substantial
hefty portions
a hefty price
heftily
ˈhef-tə-lē How to pronounce hefty (audio)
adverb
heftiness
ˈhef-tē-nəs How to pronounce hefty (audio)
noun

Synonyms of hefty

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Examples of hefty in a Sentence

He was a tall, hefty man. Her boss gave her a hefty raise. a hefty dose of irony He gave the door a hefty kick.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Permitting costs in New York City could be a hefty party of the bill. — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026 Did the call to trade Brown and his hefty salary come down from Bill Chisholm’s ownership group? — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 2 July 2026 But even if the Warriors were flush with salary cap space, signing Post to a hefty $30 million contract might not make sense. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 The plan comes with hefty raises for early career teachers in particular, bringing the state from nearly last in the southeast for beginning teacher pay to first. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hefty

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hefty was in 1863

Phrases Containing hefty

Rhymes for hefty

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Browse Nearby Words

heftiness
hefty
hefty price tag
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Cite this Entry

“Hefty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hefty. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hefty

Nglish: Translation of hefty for Spanish Speakers

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